April Mathis Squats 320kg (705lbs) RAW to Set New World Record

The word “legendary” could be one way to describe April Mathis and her powerlifting career. She’s been a dominant force in the powerlifting world, has set multiple records, and continues to do so with no sign of slowing down.

This past weekend on Arpil Fools at the APF Gulf Coast Championships, Mathis set a new world record squat and put up an absolutely insane 1,701 lb world record total. On Saturday most people were playing jokes and pranking each other, but Mathis wasn’t messing around. Her new feats of strength only add to the argument as to why she’s one of the strongest female lifters in the world.

The video shared below from the meet features Mathis’s epic 320kg (705lb) raw squat with knee wraps, which she made look easy. This makes Mathis the second woman to squat over 700lbs raw after Crystal Tate.

Mathis is the first woman to perform this feat of strength with calibrated plates, so she’ll now go down in history as the first woman to squat 700+lbs raw in formal competition.

She finished with a 1,701lb total on the day dominating the super heavyweight class. Her final lifts consisted of the 705lb squat, a 440lb bench, and 556lb deadlift.

Currently, Mathis holds multiple world records for the 198+lb weight class. Powerlifting Watch has her highest bench press world record at 457lbs, which she set in December 2016. She also holds the 198+lb 589 lb deadlift world record that she set in October 2014.

Her newly added squat and total world records only add to the impressive powerlifting career Mathis has had thus far. She currently holds records in every lift for the 198+lb class, and continues to get stronger.

Powerlifting Watch mentioned that her highest aggregate of combined lifts is currently 1,750lbs. At her current rate, she’s on course to possibly become the first woman to break the 1,800lb total mark.

What do you think? Have these new strength feats earned Mathis the title of strongest woman in powerlifting?

Jake holds a Master's in Sports Science and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. Additionally, he's a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach (USAW L1). Currently Jake is one of the full time writers at BarBend. On the side, he's a part-time strength coach and trains clients through his personal business Concrete Athletics in Hoboken.

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